occasion being first communicated to parliament if sitting, or declared in council if not sitting, her Majesty may direct to any or all of the Lieutenants of Counties throughout Great Britain, to call out the Volunteer Corps for actual military service, and every member of such corps shall assemble as the Lieutenant may direct, and march according to orders, within Great Britain; any one, not incapacitated, neglecting so to do to be deemed a deserter. On a Volunteer Corps being called out for actual military service (§ 18), there will be issued, unless refusing to accept it, two guineas to all the members of the corps then assembled; they will receive pay as in the regular army, their wives and families will receive relief if needed, as with the militia, and on being released from actual service each will receive one guinea. After being called out for service (§ 19) no corps can be released except by an order in writing signed by the Lieutenant of the county, and the corps must have been previously returned to the county to which it belongs. By § 20 provision is made for officers disabled in actual service, for their widows, and that volunteers and non-commissioned officers shall be entitled to pensions as soldiers of her Majesty's army. In §§ 21 to 30 are laid down regulations for the discipline and property of the corps, which we do not repeat, as they will necessarily be made known to every member, and concern no one else. By §§ 31 to 36, and by § 40, powers are given to corps to purchase, with the consent of the Secretary of State, land for rifle and artillery practice; and enabling the crown, corporate bodies, and others, to grant leases or licences for such purposes; and where a footpath (§ 37) crosses or runs dangerously near the place of such practice, power is given to two justices to stop up or divert the footpath. Bye-laws (§ 38) may be made by the Secretary of State for the regulation of shooting, and for the prevention of intrusion during the time of shooting; such laws may impose pecuniary penalties for breach, but not to exceed 51., recoverable by the usual process. Land acquired for these purposes (§ 39) is to be deemed as having ceased to be occupied when not so used for the period of one year by the corps by which it was held, and the land returns to the original owner, to whom a certificate from the Secretary of State of the fact of such non-user will be sufficient evidence of title in any court of law. Officers and men (§ 41) are exempted from serving in the militia so long only as they continue enrolled in a corps; horses used by volunteers for military purposes for not less than six days (§ 42) are exempt from the tax on horses, on the commanding officer signing a certificate stating the number of days that the horse has been so employed; and (§ 43) he subjects himself to a penalty not exceeding 2001. for knowingly giving a false certificate. Volunteers (§ 44) are not to forfeit their interest in any Friendly or Benefit Society, notwithstanding any rules to the contrary, in consequence of being enrolled in a Volunteer Corps. Men in uniform, horses, and carriages, (§ 45) are exempt from tolls on public roads, when on duty; demanding or taking toll, or fraudulently claiming the exemption, subjects every offender to a penalty not exceeding 51. The Lieutenant of the county to which a Volunteer Corps belongs (§ 46) may require returns to be made to him of the strength and efficiency of the corps. The Clerks of General Meetings of Lieutenancy (§ 47) are to be paid for their trouble according to a schedule of rates annexed to the Act; and § 48 details the regulations for recovering penalties, and the application of them. § 49 defines the terms used in the Act, according to which Lieutenant of a county includes Vice-Lieutenant, and in the City of London the Commissioners of Lieutenancy. The Isle of Wight (§ 50), the Isle of Man, the Cinque Ports, are to be

deemed counties under their governors, warden, &c.; and every Riding, Stewartry, City, or Place, for which her Majesty constitutes a Lieutenancy, is to be deemed a county of itself; § 51 repeals the Acts men. tioned at the commencement; § 52 exempts the Hon. Artillery Company of London from the operation of this Act; and § 53 provides that the Act shall not extend to Ireland.

GREENWICH HOSPITAL.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 67.-July 21, 1863.]

An Act to enable Provision to be made out of the Funds of Greenwich Hospital for the Widows of Seamen and Marines slain, killed, or drowned in the Sea Service of the Crown.

The Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital are to appropriate out of the revenues of the Hospital, a sum not exceeding 5,000l. annually, and as the finances of the Hospital may allow, for widows of petty officers and seamen, subject to such rules as the Admiralty may prescribe, and the approval of the Privy Council; such rules to be laid before Parliament every year. If the sum of 5,000l. be not wholly appropriated, the unexpended balance is to be invested in government securities, and the interest to be taken and applied as part of the said sum of 5,0007.

METROPOLITAN MAIN DRAINAGE.

[26 and 27 Victoria, cap. 68.-July 21, 1863.]

An Act to extend the Powers of the Act relating to the Main Drainage of the Metropolis.

This Act is mainly, indeed almost wholly, confined to giving power to the Metropolitan Board of Works to borrow an additional sum of 1,200,000l., the principal and interest guaranteed by the Treasury. This sum it is stated is rendered necessary "by reason of the increased price of materials and labour since the passing of the previous Act." The last section also extends the time by which the works are to be completed, to December 31, 1866.

PUBLIC WORKS IN MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS.

[26 and 27 Victoria, cap. 70.-July 21, 1863.]

An Act to facilitate the Execution of Public Works in certain Manufacturing Districts; to authorise for that Purpose Advances of Public Money to a limited Amount upon Security of Local Rates; and to shorten the Period for the Adoption of the Local Government Act, 1858, in certain Cases.

The preamble states that whereas great numbers of the labouring and manufacturing classes still remain out of employment; it is therefore expedient to give employment by the execution of works of public utility and sanitary improvement. The Commissioners of the Treasury are therefore empowered by § 1 to issue out of the Consolidated Fund sums of money not exceeding in the whole 1,200,000l.; such money to be at the disposal of the Loan Commissioners, under the provisions of previous Acts (§ 2) relating to public loans; with power for them (§ 3) to lend, and for Local Boards and Authorities to borrow, for the purposes and on the terms specified; no loan to exceed one year's rateable value of the property assessed, and the interest is to be 37. 108. per cent.; and

every loan is to be made with the authority of the Poor Law Board. Money so borrowed (§ 4) is not to be applied in paying off any existing debt or charge, but exclusively to the permanent works to be undertaken. The money (§ 5) is to be advanced by the Loan Commissioners in such instalments as the Poor Law Board may direct; and payments may be postponed or withheld on a notice from the Poor Law Board that the works are not carried on to its satisfaction or in conformity with the plan proposed. The Secretary of State (§ 6) may appoint an engineer to examine and report to the Poor Law Board on any works proposed, or being executed, or completed, with power to enter upon and survey such works, examine plans and specifications, and inspect the accounts. In order to facilitate the adoption of the Local Government Act (§ 7), the periods for notices and appeals are shortened, until July 1, 1864; and also (§ 8) the periods required in commencing to act under its provisions. By § 9 the power to abandon the Local Government Act is extended to places having more than 3,000 inhabitants. § 10 prescribes the mode of proceeding in respect of the paving, sewering, &c., of private streets, as in the Local Government Act, 1858, and the Public Health Act, 1848. Informalities (§ 10) are not to be admitted as objections in the hearing of any information or other proceeding before justices, unless they be of opinion that such defect has misled the person making the objection, and then they may adjourn the hearing on such terms as they think fit. Any Local Board or other Authority, except Guardians, are empowered by § 12, "to acquire, drain, lay out, plant, or otherwise improve any common or other lands used or intended to be used as places of public recreation; to construct, improve, or enlarge any reservoir for water supply, and to lay down or extend the requisite pipes for such reservoir; to widen, deepen, cleanse, embank, straighten, or otherwise improve any river, stream, or brook ;" and to enter into agreement respecting the execution of such work, or the apportionment of the cost thereof, with whoever has any beneficial interest in the work or is otherwise affected. Any Local Board or other Authority (§ 13), but in the case of Guardians not without the approval of the Poor Law Board, may agree with the owner of any lands adjoining to or near their district, to make any road or to execute any work of drainage or private improvement, on such lands at the expense of the owner, allowing time for the repayment of the amount expended, and receiving the same by annual instalments of not less than onethirtieth of such sum with interest at not less than 33 per cent. per annum upon the sum at any time remaining unpaid; and where the owner has only a limited interest in such lands, the inheritance may be charged, but not until an engineer has certified that the outlay will be a permanent benefit to the estate; in this clause the word owner is to mean the person for the time being in the receipt of the rack-rent, whether on his own account or as trustee, and is not to include a leaseholder unless he holds the same for a term of which thirty years are unexpired, or for lives of which at least two are subsisting at the time of the passing of this Act; and where such years or lives are not unexpired or subsisting the person entitled to the reversion is to be deemed the owner. If the Guardians (§ 14) at any meeting held after special notice, resolve that it would contribute to the health or convenience of any place for which they are acting, that "any pond, pool, open ditch, sewer, or drain should be drained, cleansed, covered, or filled up; or any highway, public road, or footpath, should be made, levelled, or improved; or any river, stream, or brook should be widened, deepened, cleansed, embanked, straightened, or improved; or a sewer or well

should be made or improved; or that a well should be dug; or a reservoir for water supply should be constructed, improved, or enlarged, or the requisite pipes connected with any reservoir for water supply be laid down, improved, or extended; or that any common or other lands used or intended to be used as places of public recreation, should be drained, laid out, planted, or otherwise improved, or that any other work of public utility or sanitary improvement should be executed;" they may procure a plan of such works with an estimate of the cost, and lay the same before the Poor Law Board, who may authorise them to borrow and the Loan Commissioners to lend such money, with interest, to be secured by a mortgage of or charge upon the rates raised or to be raised, and the Guardians may thereupon proceed to execute such works as have received the approval of the Poor Law Board. The instalments of principal with interest are to be repaid by the overseers out of the Poor's Rate, upon the order of the Guardians, in like manner as the other claims of the Guardians upon them; and if undertaken by two or more places the costs are to be estimated and apportioned according to the proportion of the works undertaken in them respectively; the overseers are to raise the amount by a rate to be made and enforced in like manner as the Poor's Rate. The Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845 (§ 16), is incorporated with this Act, except as to its compulsory clauses; as are (§ 17) the clauses of The Commissioners' Clauses Act, 1847, as far as relates to mortgages; and mortgages (§ 18) are to be deemed valid notwithstanding irregularities of proceedings. Where the Loan Commissioners make a loan (§ 19), and take a mortgage, its validity is not to be contested although the conditions have not been complied with, nor shall any ratepayer question its validity on such ground. The Poor Law Board (§ 20) is not to make an order for a loan after July 1, 1864, unless with a view to the completion of works then already begun. This Act (§ 21) applies only to places situated wholly or in part in the counties of Chester, Lancashire, and Derby. The term overseers (§ 22) is to include churchwardens in the case of any parish to which this Act applies; and (§ 23) it may be cited as The Public Works (Manufacturing Districts) Act, 1863.*

INDIA STOCK.

[26 and 27 Victoria, cap. 73.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to give further Facilities to the Holders of India Stock. This Act gives similar facilities to the holders of India Stock as are given to the holders of Government Stock by cap. 28, by the issue of certificates on payment of the like fees, and with the same punishments for forgery of them.

THAMES EMBANKMENT, SOUTH SIDE.

[26 and 27 Victoria, cap. 75.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act for the Embankment of Part of the River Thames, on the South Side thereof, in the Parish of St. Mary, Lambeth, and for other purposes. Omitting all the details as to the exercise of powers, the right of purchasing or rent ng lands, of arbitration in cases of disputed compensa

This important Act, with an Introduction and Notes by W. Cunningham Glen, Esq., is published by Knight and Co. The same volume includes the Bakehouse Regulation Act, the Nuisances Removal (seizure of unwholesome food) Act, and the Stipendiary Magistrates Act.

K

tion, the power of certain deviations and of interfering with gas and water-pipes, &c., in which it resembles the previous Embankment Act, North Side, the Metropolitan Board of Works are empowered by this Act to borrow 480,000l., on the security of the Thames Embankment Act, 1862, and the Metropolis Improvement Act, 1863 [the Coal and Wine Duties of the City of London], for the purpose of making and executing the following embankments and works:-"1. An enlargement of the bed of the river Thames, by an excavation of the land, and removal of the wharf walls and premises from or near Gunhouse-alley near to the London Gas-works to or near Broad-street: 2. An embankment on the right bank of the Thames commencing at or near Gunhouse-alley, and ending at Westminster Bridge: 3. A new street, from Palace New-road to Bishop's-walk: 4. The widening of Palace Newroad, within the limits of deviation, in continuation of such last-mentioned street: 5. A new street, commencing in and out of the roadway on the before-mentioned intended embankment and terminating at or near Vauxhall-row, all within the parish of St. Mary Lambeth: and, 6. The reclaiming or inclosing of a portion of the bed or foreshore of the river Thames." A public footway of not less than 20 feet in width is to be formed along the said embankment from Westminster Bridge to the point where the intended street to Vauxhall-row diverges from the embankment roadway. When formed, the roadway, the new streets and approaches, are to be under the management of the vestries, with the sole authority and duty of paving, repairing, cleansing, lighting, watching, &c., as the other streets of the parish. Until the completion of the works, the plans, sections, and books of reference are to remain in the office in which they are deposited, and may be inspected by any one on payment of one shilling for each inspection.

METROPOLIS ROADS ACT, 1863.

[26 and 27 Victoria, cap. 78.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to amend the Acts relating to the Turnpike Roads in the Neighbourhood of the Metropolis, north of the River Thames.

By this Act certain roads are transferred from the management of the Commissioners of the Metropolis Turnpike Roads north of the Thames to the respective parishes in which they are wholly or partially situated, and it very minutely details what portions of the road are assigned to the care of each parish. By this measure all turnpikes are abolished on the roads within the parishes of St. Margaret, Westminster; St. Luke, Chelsea; St. Mary Abbot, Kensington; St. Peter and St. Paul, Hammersmith; Fulham; St. George, Hanover-square; Paddington; St. Marylebone; St. John, Hampstead; St. James and St. John, Clerkenwell; St. Pancras; St. Mary, Islington; St. Luke, Old-street; St. Leonard, Shoreditch; St. Matthew, Bethnal-green; Hackney; St. Mary, Stoke Newington and Hornsey; Twickenham and Teddington; except parts of the Harrow-road, Kilburn-road and the Green-lanes-road. The transfer is to take place from and after July 1, 1864, when the described roads are to be considered and treated as public roads maintained by the respective parishes. Pumps, stand-pipes, and other things the property of the Commissioners, may be retained at a valuation, and the tollhouses are then to be cleared away. The authority of the Commissioners remains on all portions of the roads under their management,